Blondie is an American rock band formed in new York in the mid 70’s by singer Debbie harry and guitarist Chris stein. They are widely recognized for their unique style, blending genres such as punk rock, new wave, pop, disco, and hip-hop. Blondie became one of the most iconic bands of the late 70’s and early 80’s, steering the new wave movement. The bands willingness to experiment with genre allow them to appeal to a wide audience. This duality helped Blondie appeal to both the underground punk scene and mainstream pop audiences . Blondie’s songs have relatable lyrics, which allowed them to achieve appeal across various demographics and age groups, from older listeners who experienced their music first in the late '70s and early '80s to younger fans (myself included) who discovered their work through parents and the band’s continued influence on modern music. Blondie's brand revolves around its mix of edginess and glamour, largely embodied by lead singer Debbie Harry's style and charisma. Harry's blonde bombshell image, The face of the band aswell as the reason for its name (coined by harry as it was a word often used by catcallers to get the blonde’s attention as she walked past) gives the band a distinct visual identity that is both rebellious and incredibly fashionable.
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Blondies position as a innovative band who brought forth the new wave genre is very much affirmed within this article. They effortlessly navigate countless styles and their fluidity in mastering them all is a very central theme, focusing on their broad appeal and significance in shaping contemporary music through their mix of glamourous feminine and punk. Debbie harry is characterized within the article as genuine and intelligent, and complimented on her mastery in balancing that and a “sexy pop rock attitude”. The article also credits Harry as an iconic music figure, paving the way for other pop stars such as Lady gaga and Madonna by rejecting traditional roles of women in music. Blondies audience is shown in this piece as both long-time and newer fans. Nostalgic references of past performances resonate with an older audience as talks for their new album (panic of girls ) appeals to a younger audience.
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Hanging on the telephones music video is fairly minimalistic, focusing on Debbie Harrys face and performance with close ups and medium shots to keep your attention on her. Her facial expressions match the lyrics in the song and her playful attitude is a good representation of the enjoyment the band takes from performing. And speaking of, the video is predominantly performance based, with the only narrative in the beginning of the band walking into they space they perform in. The representation of harry as the only woman and the focal point of the video emphasizes her as a powerful female figure. She seems in control, she has direct eye contact with the camera and the focus on her in itself is a challenge on the traditional conventions of music videos at the time. The mise-en-scene is very simple, the black and white striped background is a nod to the theming (and name) of the album the song comes from, the bands third studio album ‘parallel lines’ released in 1978. There is quite a lack of props used, the only one of note is a telephone used as a prop for Harry to act with to convey the lyrics in the song. The video has quite a DIY look in all honesty, which is quite fitting of a punk band, showing their values of raw unpolished authenticity by reflecting that in the video.
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